I would certainly hope not...despite getting a lot of mileage out of one nationally televised game (or three or whatever the number is), he's still not a very draft-able prospect at this point and I'd expect him to be passed over. He had a terrific Mem Cup Final, don't get me wrong...he kept that game from being a snoozer. But his technique leaves a lot to be desired...lateral movement and shuffle ability are both pretty poor, that's why he has to telescope out legs and arms so far and off of pretty weak pushes. If his skating and fluidity in the crease were stronger, the saves would be more positional (which, ironically, would make him a better pro prospect and probably wouldn't have elicited a thread here...) and less flashy. You look at the way his chest and shoulders fold when he pushes across, you look at his post setups on plays originating from below the icing line, it's all kind of a mess still.
I'm looking at a WHL goalie that, if I draft him this time around, I have two years to make a call on him before I have to commit three years or no years to...it's just not worth that right now in my opinion. Maybe he ends up on the radar in his recycle year, that's possible...keep him on the watch list to see how he progresses...he is 6'2, he has bloodlines...
But drafting a player because he had one good game that happened to be on national TV isn't really how this works. The easiest equivalent would be if you (royal you) saw Antti Niemi's 35 save shutout vs Buffalo on March 23rd and then went "holy **** balls, I need this guy!" but you know Antti Niemi you know that he's Butt Simpson...
I don't know, I'd be really surprised if someone wanted to take a gamble on him in his 18 year old season, but then again, it just takes one team to like a player...
